Famously and perhaps typically jokingly known as the present about nothing, Seinfeld was in actual fact a present about numerous issues, simply most of them minor compared to the kinds of points different exhibits – be they dramas or sitcoms – would typically sort out. Seinfeld was nice at discovering all kinds of on a regular basis questions, dilemmas, and annoyances, then placing them on the heart of any given episode, which makes the entire present surprisingly cathartic and, much less surprisingly, relatable.
As a result of a lot of it feels actual and sort of uncooked, even when it’s bought that typical indifferent sitcom really feel, owing to the units and the studio viewers laughter (in comparison with the extra harrowing and grounded Curb Your Enthusiasmwhich Larry Davidco-creator of Seinfeldcan also be recognized for), Seinfeld also can get fairly awkward. The next are a few of the sitcom’s most squirm-inducing episodes. If one thing was missed, that’s a pure consequence of nearly each episode of this present having at the very least one or two awkward issues occur in it.
10
“The Telephone Message”
Season 2, Episode 4 (1991)
Picture by way of NBC
One of many higher episodes of Seinfeld’s early seasons (some tough patches in season 1 for positiveand a few throughout season 2, too), “The Telephone Message” revolves round courting woes. Most of them are George’s. George is of course going to point out up rather a lot, once you’re speaking about awkward episodes of Seinfeldhowever within the curiosity of not choosing on him an excessive amount of, there are episodes to return, on this rating, that spotlight embarrassing conditions for Jerry, Elaine, and Kramer.
However George. Oh, George. This episode has him leaving awkward messages on the answering machine of a lady he’s seeing, after which he retains stressing about them, which progressively makes all the pieces worse; a snowballing farce sort of factor. Additionally, he takes a late-night invite for “espresso” actually, not realizing it was a sign his date was sexually excited by doing issues that night time, which could be very on-brand for George, and his stress about that results in the cellphone messages. Additionally, Jerry disagrees a couple of business with somebody he’s seeing, and that results in them parting methods, which is sort of awkward and foolish, however inevitably not as painful for Jerry himself as George’s state of affairs is for George.
9
“The Strike”
Season 9, Episode 10 (1997)
When you see George’s dad and mom pop up in an episode, you understand he’s going to be in for a nasty time, however you are most likely going to be in for time, as a result of they’re hilarious. And “The Strike” may nicely be the last word Frank Costanza episode, since “The Strike” is essentially about Festivuswhy he “celebrates” it, and the way disagreeable an expertise it’s for all concerned.
It’s an anti-Christmas episode, and an undeniably darkly humorous one. It performs out extra like a stereotypically unstable Thanksgiving, however with out all of the meals related to that kind of gathering, as a result of all you appear to get throughout Festivus is an disagreeable and boring-looking kind of meatloaf. Additionally, “The Strike” is the episode the place George makes up the charity of “The Human Fund” to get away with shopping for presents for co-workers, for some added cringe-inducing stuff.
8
“The Be aware”
Season 3, Episode 1 (1991)
Season 3 was an enchancment general on season 2which was an enchancment on season 1, however you possibly can argue the season as a complete will get off to a tough begin. That is one consider “The Be aware” being awkward: it has an altered theme tune usedwith added vocals, and it sounds extremely jarring. That makes it humorous, then, that the episode is known as “The Be aware” when it’s bought distractingly unusual music, however “The Be aware” does confer with one thing else.
Particularly, medical doctors’ notes. However probably the most awkward a part of the episode, aside from the weird altered theme tune, is George reacting a sure method to getting a therapeutic massage from a person (“I feel it moved”)after which having that make him query all the pieces about himself, however over-doing it and over-thinking, after all. He makes a mildly sudden or barely awkward state of affairs worse by fixating on it and having it impression different areas of his life.
7
“The Little Kicks”
Season 8, Episode 4 (1996)
Picture by way of NBC
Julia Louis-Dreyfus has been behind at the very least two of one of the best characters within the historical past of TV comedieswith Elaine being the primary she performed (see additionally Veepmade later). And it’s true that she doesn’t have as many awkward moments within the present as George, nor causes as a lot chaos as Kramer, however she’s not 100% cool and with it on a regular basis, similar to anybody in actual life. Everybody’s human.
George’s story right here includes him making an attempt and failing to take care of a “unhealthy boy” picture, but it surely says one thing about Elaine’s dancing that even that will get overshadowed.
And everybody’s able to misjudging issues like their dancing capability. “The Little Kicks” is essentially about Elaine embarrassing herself at a piece occasion when she tries to bop, horrifying allafter which penalties in the end ensue from the entire ordeal. George’s story right here includes him making an attempt and failing to take care of a “unhealthy boy” picture, but it surely says one thing about Elaine’s dancing that even that will get overshadowed by these titular little kicks.
6
“The Contest”
Season 4, Episode 11 (1992)
The fourth season of Seinfeld bought pretty metahowever not essentially in each episode. “The Contest,” for instance, is extra a couple of contest that the 4 important characters have. They don’t say precisely what it’s that they are abstaining from, however all of them must attempt to be masters of their area, which is all led to due to an all-time embarrassing story George tells about his mom catching him within the act, so to talk.
It’s awkward comedy executed proper, and likewise executed pretty tastefully, since “The Contest” could be very crude in what it’s in the end about, but it surely skirts across the particulars on a visible entrance (clearly) whereas additionally having issues obscured barely by the extra oblique dialogue. It’s intelligent, and justifiably seen as one of many highlights of Seinfeld’s whole run, all of the whereas being awkward in a approach that very a lot is smart, and provides to the humor.
5
“The Sofa”
Season 6, Episode 5 (1994)
Picture by way of NBC
“The Sofa” is right here largely due to George. As soon as once more, he rears his head and causes second-hand discomfort. Right here, his story includes becoming a member of a ebook membership, however not feeling prepared to learn the assigned ebook. Mentioned ebook is Breakfast at Tiffany’showever then he remembers there’s a film adaptation of it, so he units out to hire it on video (that is the Nineteen Nineties, bear in mind) and watch it as an alternative, because you can normally watch a film in much less time than it takes to learn a ebook.
However the video’s been rented, so he finds the home the place the tape is, invitations himself in, and awkwardly watches the film there, with one other household, inflicting additional discomfort. After which it seems, the film is totally different from the ebookso he nonetheless fails to contribute to the ebook membership. Traditional George, in different phrases.
4
“The Comeback”
Season 8, Episode 13 (1997)
Right here, the George battle is extra relatable. Perhaps even comprehensible, to some extent, however he takes it too far. “The Comeback” is about George considering of what he thinks to be an ideal comeback to a joke made at his expense, however lengthy after the second to say such a joke has handed. So, he units about manufacturing one other state of affairs the place that individual can repeat the joke in entrance of different folks, permitting him to make use of his apparently good comeback.
Seeing the pursuit of all of it is determined and, at a degree, a bit cringe-inducing, however then the comeback will get used and is not very helpful. There’s one other joke made at George’s expense, after which his subsequent comeback goes low, involving having intercourse with somebody’s spouse, however he then finds out stated spouse was truly in a coma when he made the joke. The need to be witty within the second is a common one, however nonetheless, typically, you simply must let issues cross. Until you are George. He apparently can’t.
3
“The Puffy Shirt”
Season 5, Episode 2 (1993)
Picture by way of NBC
Jerry will get taken down a peg in “The Puffy Shirt,” which is becoming, as a result of it’s the episode the place he appears like a pirate. He finally ends up unknowingly agreeing to put on stated shirt on tv, as a result of Kramer’s girlfriend on this episode talks nearly inaudibly, and so it has Jerry being humiliated fairly a bit greater than regular, which he perhaps deserves, since Jerry’s sort of a jerk (however a crucial jerk inside the sitcom as a complete).
Additionally, there’s extra George humiliation right here, due to course there’s. Nothing too out of the peculiar, however he has to maneuver again in along with his dad and mom due to monetary issues, which he feels embarrassed about, and then they – being George’s dad and mom – trigger additional embarrassment for him, as a result of it isn’t the summer time of George. It has by no means actually been the summer time of George. It might by no means ever be the summer time of George.
2
“The Hearth”
Season 5, Episode 20 (1994)
Picture by way of NBC
Issues get darkish in “The Hearth,” as a result of the George plot on this episode includes him being egocentric, which is not too uncommon, however right here, particularly, egocentric in a approach that endangers numerous different folks, together with youngsters and the aged. He sees a small hearth whereas at a youngsters’s party, and prioritizes himself within the panic he causes by yelling out that there’s a fireplace.
He tries to defend himself afterward (it was in the end a really small and non-deadly hearth), which can also be squirm-inducing to look at, since George simply doesn’t wish to admit he didn’t actually care about anybody else, within the state of affairs. Additionally, Jerry’s storyline includes coping with a heckler and issues spiraling uncontrolled a bit there, which is a bit uncomfortable, however not as awkward because the stuff happening with George (as per regular).
1
“The Hamptons”
Season 5, Episode 21 (1994)
Picture by way of NBC
So many episodes are answerable for making Seinfeld rank among the many biggest sitcoms of all time, together with “The Hamptons,” which simply so occurred to air one week after “The Hearth.” Additionally, following “The Hamptons” was “The Reverse,” which simply exhibits how stacked the ultimate stretch of the present’s fifth season was, when it got here to traditional episodes.
Anyway, “The Hamptons” may nicely comprise George’s single largest second of humiliation, when Jerry’s girlfriend walks in on him bare, proper after, as he declares, he “was within the pool.” There are different chaotic and awkward occasions that occur throughout this seaside house-set episode, together with Kramer inflicting hassle by stealing lobsters, however George will get it the worst of all right here, and although Seinfeld wasn’t probably the most continuity-heavy of exhibits, one will get the impression that George didn’t overlook the occasions of this episode, and was frequently haunted by the expertise till the top of his days.